*****2026-27 Transfer Portal News*****
- Thread starter QChawks
- Start date
We need at least 2 good shooters, an athletic wing player and a stretch 4. Addie Deal is not good enough to be a starter next year and I'm concerned about Stremlow. Only sure thing starters are Heiden and Chit Chat.
Have to figure Hawks lose 3-4 players.
My random guesses would be Mallegni, Houston, Rodriguez, Johnson, Deal, and based on how JJ lashed out today, maybe CC.
Hays...just don't see her playing if she can't get >60% on FTs. It would be "hack a Shaq" every time she touches the ball. I
BTW: Petrie, 6'2" from Nebraska, plays the "4", I think, one year left. A bridge to MW? 11ppg. 70% FT
My random guesses would be Mallegni, Houston, Rodriguez, Johnson, Deal, and based on how JJ lashed out today, maybe CC.
Hays...just don't see her playing if she can't get >60% on FTs. It would be "hack a Shaq" every time she touches the ball. I
BTW: Petrie, 6'2" from Nebraska, plays the "4", I think, one year left. A bridge to MW? 11ppg. 70% FT
Last edited:
Your random guesses would be incredibly scary outside of Johnson. I think Mallegni still has a lot of potential to play some good minutes off the bench, Houston will be a big factor next year, Deal will be greatly improved, and I am hoping Rodriguez sticks but she is one that I would not be shocked to see go. Chit Chat would be a killer as she is not only a great floor general we saw how well she can shoot as well. If she was 5'9-5'11 she would be looked at by the blue bloods.
From midwestern state where winter turns to spring,
In city of the state where cornfields lie;
A tall first reed at center’s carved-in ring,
Beneath the bowl where hollow echoes cry.
In vaulted stone where numbered breath is lost,
And winter speech dissolves in muted air;
The turning wheel upon unseen course is tossed,
As anchored form grows light upon the stair.
No broken seal, nor open word of fall,
But shifting sign beneath the hidden hand;
And as the season yields its frozen thrall,
One steps away as written, not by man.
In city of the state where cornfields lie;
A tall first reed at center’s carved-in ring,
Beneath the bowl where hollow echoes cry.
In vaulted stone where numbered breath is lost,
And winter speech dissolves in muted air;
The turning wheel upon unseen course is tossed,
As anchored form grows light upon the stair.
No broken seal, nor open word of fall,
But shifting sign beneath the hidden hand;
And as the season yields its frozen thrall,
One steps away as written, not by man.
I guess it comes down to what each individual wants from their time at Iowa?
Are they like Levin, who will get a few minutes here and there, but just loves the experience?
Are they like JadaG, who seemed like she was just there to tag along and enjoy the college experience with no desire to play?
Are there a few that want to play, will move to a smaller school because they realize they might not be D-1 players?
Are there a few that don't feel they're getting a fair opportunity?
We'll know soon enough, but I expect the Iowa WBB team will look vastly different next fall.
Are they like Levin, who will get a few minutes here and there, but just loves the experience?
Are they like JadaG, who seemed like she was just there to tag along and enjoy the college experience with no desire to play?
Are there a few that want to play, will move to a smaller school because they realize they might not be D-1 players?
Are there a few that don't feel they're getting a fair opportunity?
We'll know soon enough, but I expect the Iowa WBB team will look vastly different next fall.
I missed this. What did she lash out about? I didn't hear any post game other than from Peterson.
This is my absolute, random, no inside knowledge, complete guess, taken with a grain of salt percentages of players who hit the portal:
Rodriguez- 99.99% (headcase)
TM- 85% (playing time)
Johnson- 70% (playing time)
Hays- 60% (too far away and playing time)
Houston- 50% (position/playing time)
Deal- 45% (playing time)
Heiden - 30% (pay increase and NC contender)
Chit-Chat- 10% (back east)
Stremlow- 5%
Levin- 1%
That would leave us with 6 players and MW if my over 50% leave.
Last edited:
Houston and Deal won’t leave. Houston will probably start next season and likes Iowa City. Deal has no reason to leave since she won’t be sought after due to her performance this season. She’s better off staying and developing here. She needs to have a 3 point shot.
The first 3 are probably gone and I think Hays leaves too. As a center someone will take a stab at her.
Hope you are right but what would you project the lineup to be (without transfers in of course)?
Wright (Deal)
Stremlow (Levin)
MW
Houston (flip flop roles with MW)
Heiden
No interior depth at the moment if Hays leaves. To be honest, I was more disappointed in Hays than Deal. Deal shows life and glimpses of what she can do. I saw Hays not be able to impose her will, miss bunnies, get out rebounded and could not keep pace. I hope she develops as she has great size and is easy to root for but dang... put it together.
PG: Chit-Chat Wright
SG: Addie Deal
SF: Taylor Stremlow
PF: Journey Houston
C: Ava Heiden
Bench
1. McKenna Woliczko
2. Callie Levin
They need to add point guard depth and 3 point shooting in the portal.
Here is the transcript from her presser talking about Journey,Chit Chat and Ava, You can decide for yourself if you feel she “lashed out”
Q. Journey Houston really stepped up for you this game. What were your expectations for her coming in and how did it evolve? With the season completed, what does she mean to you?
JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I think she was a really fun storyline, too. We wouldn't have won some of those games in the conference without her. She's able to play with some bigger people because she has a bigger heart, and after we kind of convinced her we needed her a little bit more at the 4, she's undersized today but she really had some impactful minutes and moments, her perimeter game isn't there yet. She wanted to play the 3. It's not there. She doesn't have a left hand yet quite as much.
When you're in high school and you're playing the perimeter, when you get to this level, people are bigger, faster, stronger. After we kind of got over that hurdle and said you're going to get minutes here or none there, she was able to say, okay, let me adjust my mindset a bit, and she's really been a really valuable key cog.
I think she could have a really, really great summer, and I hope that she commits to it because she's a stellar kid to coach.
Q. In terms of those expectations, you talked about her developing her perimeter game, is that going to be a point of emphasis next year, and what are your expectations for her as a sophomore?
JAN JENSEN: Well, obviously we haven't shot the ball really well. I need to find people that are going to make shots. You can take a lot of shots, you've got to make some shots. I'm hopeful that she can continue with that.
I recruited her in AAU, as well, and she has the capability to hit threes. We need her to continue that and really expand her game ball handling wise, too, to put it on the floor and finish the make the reads.
Q. Could you talk about Chit-Chat? You talked about her the other day, wanting to see her be a little more aggressive offensively. Obviously today she's in double figures and had the ball in her hands at the end of the game. Can you talk a little bit about what you saw from her today?
JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I think we saw some good positive strides. I think it'll be fun to watch her growth. I think she played more off the ball last year for Georgia Tech.
I don't think I made as much strides with her to get her a little bit more vocal, to get her to be a little bit more demanding. It's hard in a big environment when the shot clock is winding down to get a play in or to get something set. That's my big thing all year, to kind of get her to kind of take it over.
I thought we saw some really good moments, though, today, and I thought she did answer the bell a little bit more today. I think it'll also -- she'll also need to, and hopefully we'll have a really good summer.
Q. Can you talk about what an incredible couple games it was for Ava Heiden, 27 and a half points in these two games. Talk about her stepping up building into next season.
JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I've just got to look, what is she, 11 for 22 today? Yeah, Ava, we're not where we are without Ava. She's been a pretty big workhorse. I'm a little bit critical when it comes to percentages in the post; 50 percent is a little bit low. But Ava, she got in some foul trouble. She was playing against some taller kids.
I think really a big storyline was the fact that she got those two fouls within, I don't know what it was, five minutes.
It was kind of an interesting game. A lot of the nemesis of our issues early on, Ava had a little foul trouble, we didn't shoot the ball really well, we didn't shoot the free throws very well. Defense held usually well enough.
But yeah, Ava, I think -- if she has the jump that she did from a year ago to now, if we get that jump again, I still think she should have ended up being one of the top 5 centers in the country. She's probably just shy of that.
But I think that we're not here without Ava. We're extremely proud of her. I think today, I think that first five minutes really was the game.
I think Anon is full of sheet. I'd be surprised if we lose more than two. Rodriguez for sure and maybe Johnson, although with her knees if might be hard to find a new home. Iowa's family circle is tight. Every girl has the summer to get better. Hayes will get better with another summer playing against Ava. Houston needs to put up 100 threes a day. Levin and Mallegni are contributors as backups.
My starting five depending on transfers are:
PG - Chit Chat - Portal Addition
SG - Addie Deal - Stremlow/Levin
SF - Taylor Stremlow - Portal Add/Houston
PF - McKenna Woliczko - Houston/Mallegni
C - Ava Heiden - Layla Hayes
That is a sweet 16/elite eight starting five.
My starting five depending on transfers are:
PG - Chit Chat - Portal Addition
SG - Addie Deal - Stremlow/Levin
SF - Taylor Stremlow - Portal Add/Houston
PF - McKenna Woliczko - Houston/Mallegni
C - Ava Heiden - Layla Hayes
That is a sweet 16/elite eight starting five.
I see nothing wrong with any of these answers.
The thing people don't understand with Journey is that she played post from the time she was little until sophomore year of high school. Her perimeter skills aren't D1 yet. They will continue to develop. She plays well doing what Jan has had her doing because she spent so much time of her basketball life doing it. Her big sister was a natural 6 foot guard. Journey is having to continue to develop guard skills.
What did Jan lash out about?
I must have missed it.
He just posts crap as usual. Never anything to back it up.
I see no lashing out at all. IMO
I am in the minority, but Emely will be here until she says she isn't. She would have made a difference in the team if she had been able to play.
Last edited:
I was glad to see @HIWILLE liked this because he probably watched her play as much as anybody.
Need a transfer-in to step into Stuelke’s shoes as a force on the boards. IMO equally as important as a good shooting guard.
Why?
- Stuelke is an elite rebounder and those players are invaluable. I’ll spare the stats. Her rebounds (esp. ORBs) greatly contributed to many Iowa W’s. She will be greatly missed.
- Hays has potential but it’s safe to say that the arc of her development will take more time.
- Houston has great instincts and battles hard but surrenders size.
- Heiden is a very good rebounder also but has trended towards foul trouble. With her on the bench you’re left with Hays and Houston to fight for rebounds - a relatively inexperienced and undersized F and an inexperienced still developing C. That’s a recipe for big trouble.
Why?
- Stuelke is an elite rebounder and those players are invaluable. I’ll spare the stats. Her rebounds (esp. ORBs) greatly contributed to many Iowa W’s. She will be greatly missed.
- Hays has potential but it’s safe to say that the arc of her development will take more time.
- Houston has great instincts and battles hard but surrenders size.
- Heiden is a very good rebounder also but has trended towards foul trouble. With her on the bench you’re left with Hays and Houston to fight for rebounds - a relatively inexperienced and undersized F and an inexperienced still developing C. That’s a recipe for big trouble.
Anon knows absolutely nothing about the Iowa players and what they are thinking. He is only here to troll and get a response out of others. He is never here when Iowa is playing well, only when he can so discord. I rather doubt he is a fan at all. We would be better just to ignore he and watch him go away!
The Hays situation is puzzling.
Against FDU, never took off her warmup during the game.
Yesterday, came in...a travel under the hoop, goes down on defense and gets screened/loses her girl for a layup.
Gets yanked after about 45 seconds and she's never heard from again.
That's a "confidence buster".
Has to be tough on her.
Against FDU, never took off her warmup during the game.
Yesterday, came in...a travel under the hoop, goes down on defense and gets screened/loses her girl for a layup.
Gets yanked after about 45 seconds and she's never heard from again.
That's a "confidence buster".
Has to be tough on her.
I might disagree a little about Hays and Houston. The other numbers seem about correct.
I thought that Hays could have used a redshirt year to develop. Maybe next season if a one year big could be landed. This team needs help.
If JJ gets the right portal additions. I would still like to add a one year big.
Yep, "lashed out" was a poor choice of words.
I apologize for that.
JJ's comments were more of a "disappointment" of some of CC's play yesterday.
Really chewed her azz on the one in bounds play where there were about 5 seconds after a base line entry pass where CC didn't get a shot off.
I, for one, am tired of “twin posts”. Puts us right back into the triangle offense. It can work with the right personnel but is not beautiful basketball to me.
We were basically a twin post because Stulke never developed a consistent outside shot even thou she was playing the 4 she couldn't stretch her outside shot. I think Iowa can still play big next year because I think we will have more of that stretch 4 and if that's the case then teams cant double or drop off onto Heiden. Everyone is saying we need guards who can shoot the 3, I don't disagree but a think we need kids that can create off the dribble and not set 3 point shooters that cant create on mismatches. I think the fresh coming in from Calif will contribute just because of her length and her outside shooting that teams will have to honor. She will be different than Deal coming in simply because she wont be a main ball handler like she had to be. Alot of people really down on Deal because she was a highly ranked kid out of HS but if you look at all the 4 and 5 stars that were ranked higher or around her only a handful had major contributions to their current teams and some got very few minutes of playing time. I think this off season she is going to turn some heads and if she can duplicate the improvement that Heiden did from year 1 to year 2 that is going to be huge for her and the team. I think she will focus on getting her body quicker and work on her ball handles because she could easily play the 2 or the 3 or even the stretch 4 with 4 out.
Anyone who does has a problem with any kind of constructive criticism and/or is just plain ole soft.
I think Stremlow starts regardless. She’s won the job and Jan won’t sit her. That’s how Jan rolls.